1. Field of the Invention
The integrated sound baffle reduces the noise level of a floor cleaning machine while in operation. This floor cleaning machine includes a vacuum motor which creates a negative pressure in a recovery tank to create suction in a vacuum squeegee. The exhaust from this vacuum motor is rather noisy and is typically laden with moisture. The integrated sound baffle reduces the noise level of the exhaust from this vacuum motor and isolates the moisture from the electric motors and other electronic components in this floor cleaning machine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,533,370 and 4,617,034 describe a compact electric vacuum cleaner including an air rectifying duct installed on the external surface of the cleaner to reduce the noise level of the exhaust during operation of the vacuum cleaner. This apparatus includes acoustical noise suppression material which encircles an electric air blower and further includes a noise absorber and noise shielding material placed on the inside of the air rectifying duct.
The addition of this acoustical sound absorbing material increases the manufacturing cost of the vacuum cleaner described in the aforementioned patents. The flow path of the exhaust in this compact electric vacuum cleaner passes through the air rectifying duct and into a lower housing. This multi-piece design is apparently intended to further reduce the level of exhaust noise. The rectifying duct is a non-integral member and is added to the exterior of this vacuum. This duct is not intended to be a substantial load bearing component in the overall design of the compact electric vacuum cleaner.
Several different mufflers and other types of sound attenuation apparatus are disclosed in other patents which are included in the Information Disclosure Statement filed concurrently herewith.
Clarke Industries, Inc., the assignee of the present invention, has previously manufactured several floor cleaning machines which are similar to the present invention. Most of these machines manufactured by Clarke do not utilize any acoustical sound absorbing material or other means to reduce the noise level of the exhaust from the vacuum motor. When the present invention is added to these floor cleaning machines manufactured by Clarke Industries, the overall noise level during operation is reduced.
Clarke Industries has also manufactured a floor cleaning machine similar to the present invention which does utilizes acoustical sound absorbing material and a muffler mounted in the exhaust conduit of the vacuum motor. When the present invention is used in lieu of this prior art sound dampening system, there is still an overall reduction in the noise level of the floor cleaning machine during operation. In addition, the present invention is more economical and easier to manufacture than prior art sound dampening systems